Airports

New NBAA Brochure Series Advocates for Airports

June 27, 2011

Two full-color brochures to assist NBAA Members with noise issues at airports have been produced by
the Association, and a third, on converting a surplus military airport to civilian use, has just been released.
The three brochures start a special series for use as tools by NBAA Members working with critical airport
issues.

Neighbors Complaining About Airport Noise

The Witham and Portland pieces explain how airport managements and operators on the field
successfully dealt with public perception – and public hostility – toward airport noise.

At one point, neighbors of Witham Field, in Stuart, Martin County, Florida were so angry about airport
noise that they hired a nationally known law firm," explained NBAA's Jeff Gilley, director, airports &
ground infrastructure, in describing the situation detailed in the Witham Field brochure. "Their aim was to
constrain the size and scope of the airport."

Martin County officials first commissioned a FAR Part 150 study, which produced noise contour lines that
brought definition to the previously ambiguous "too noisy" complaints. With numbers in hand, the county
established an Airport Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC) in 2003, with members from all sides of the
controversy.

"That was one of the keys," said NBAA Southeast Regional Representative Harry Houckes. "It's easy
to complain, but once committee members started talking seriously and looked at the hard data, they
began to understand each other." The ANAC has 13 members, drawn from the city of Stuart and another
nearby community, Martin County Commissioners, residents within the 65 and 60 DNL noise contours
and members representing airport operators, aircraft owners, FBOs and an aero club.

"It was a pretty difficult environment [at first]," recalled Alex Beringer, current ANAC chairman. "But as
time progressed…the committee congealed and worked together." Today, eight years later, airport
operators and residents are talking and have found solutions. Houckes said, "there is a spirit of
cooperation now…which is a win-win for everybody."

"Cutting Through The Noise" tells how Portland Noise Manager Jason Schwartz uses public outreach
and community involvement to minimize complaints for Portland International (PDX), Hillsboro (HIO) and
Troutdale (TTD), all in the Portland area. NBAA Regional Representative Kristi Ivey worked with Schwartz
and operators at all three airports.

"Noise around PDX and HIO was the biggest challenge," said Ivey. Now, noise complaints are trending
down. Jason's efforts are the key to success, especially at HIO."

Schwartz is an expert on non-acoustic factors that cause noise complaints. "It's not the noise itself," said
NBAA's Ivey, "but trust in the airport, attitudes toward the noise source, predictability, avoidability and
the community's perception of cost/benefit ratio of the noise." The Portland noise manager uses that
expertise to build public outreach and community involvement, and has handed out thousands of bright
blue refrigerator magnets encouraging residents to contact his department with their questions about
airport noise.

"Our role is to advocate, educate and collaborate," he said, noting that many Portland residents were
completely unaware of the airports use for medical flights, law enforcement and fire fighting training. "One
person even apologized for her noise complaint after….she found it was a Lifeguard flight," said
Schwartz.

Other outreach programs for the three Portland airports include a Citizen Noise Advisory Committee
(CNAC) and promotion of a Fly Quiet program and a new Fly Friendly program at HIO, which includes
a new run-up pad to reduce impacts on surrounding neighborhoods. There are also new GPS noise
abatement procedures for the two busiest airports.

Gilley explained that many airports with noise problems are finding long-standing NBAA noise procedures
effective in quieting noise footprints, and neighbor complaints. The NBAA procedures, some developed
as long as 40 years ago, were originally designed as generic backup procedures for jets that had no
manufacturer-specified procedures. Yet when tests of different procedures were flown at Witham Field,
the long-established NBAA models came in first.

"But in today's ATC world, procedures that are otherwise excellent aren't practical from an air traffic
standpoint," said Gilley. He said an NBAA subcommittee of the Association's Access Committee is
tweaking those, hoping to have the latest versions ready for the NBAA 64th Annual Meeting & Convention
(NBAA2011) this October in Las Vegas, NV.

GA Airport Success Story

The most recent brochure, "Brunswick Executive Is Maine's Oldest New Airport," turns away from noise
issues to focus on a general aviation airport success story. Six years after the Federal Base Realignment
and Closure (BRAC) Commission voted to shutter Brunswick Naval Air Station, the town of Brunswick,
ME gained a new public-use general aviation facility thanks to countless hours of dedicated work by the
community.

"Brunswick is the most recent success story for having all the right ingredients come together to turn a
surplus government property into a great new general aviation airport," said Gilley, "Strong support at the
local and state level and a hard work on the part of a number of individuals in persevering through the
lengthy and complicated BRAC process have paid off."